News of a bid sent SSL's shares rocketing yesterday, jumping 8% to 335p, after it admitted it was in talks about a takeover, with a deal worth a possible £675m on the table.
Household goods firm Reckitt Benckiser, the world's biggest household cleaning products firm, is thought to be the company behind the bid.
Last year, Reckitt Benckiser spent about £300m on global advertising. It owns brands including Vanish, Resolve, Calgon, Woolite, Calgonit, Finish, Electrasol, Jet Dry, Airwick and Mortein brands.
The Anglo-Dutch giant has refused to confirm its interest, although it has been reported to be interested in SSL for some time.
SSL, as well as owning the Durex condom brand also owns the Marigold rubber gloves brand. Earlier this year, it moved into a range of personal lubricants branded Durex Play.
Last month SSL, which also owns the foot care brand Scholl and other consumer healthcare brands, reported sales of £623.9m, generating a pre-exceptional operating profit of £82m.
Earlier this year, SSL poached Rugby Football Union marketer Paul Rudge to oversee marketing for its Durex brand, which has hit a storm of controversy this year with its controversial and headline-grabbing advertising.
Durex Performa condom's advertising campaign has received several slaps on the wrists from the ad watchdog.
Most recently, it was censured for a poster with the word "ejacu-later" in it, following the banning of its "roger more" campaign, which were created by McCann-Erickson Manchester.
SSL was created out of a merger of Seton Healthcare, footwear specialists Scholl and London International Group. However, it is seen by analysts as being too diverse, stretching from industrial medical to consumer healthcare. However, earlier this year it said was going to sell its medical division.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .